Intermittent flow device



May 28, 1940. F. Y. DONALD SON 2,202,549

INTERMITTENT FLOW DEVICE Filed June 7, 1939 INVENTOR.

j m A 72 2 ATT( NEY.

' intermittent operation of the w-ateringsystem'as Patented May ZS, 1940 c I i-UNlT-ED T-ES PA EN OFFICE INTERDHTIENT FLow DEvmEl I f ail]; r. bnala son; Glendale, cah j 'l" t Application .iune v. msa ser al No, 217,82 [4 Claims.

The'primary object of my invention, is the provision of a device forattachment to sprinkling, irrigating and other watering systems of similar type, and wherebyoperating control of thesys tem mayeconomically, effectively and automati cally be brought about. I i

An obj ect is 'the'provision of a device permitting to both time and flow.

- n furtherfiobject is the provision of a device readily attachable to existing systems aslwell as for new installations.

Aiurther object 's the provision of a device having butfew parts; practically fool proof and adaptable for production in varying sizes and capacity.=-

* Anda further object isthe provision of a device embracing-said advantages 'which; may be regulatedas to time and volume of 'flow at will;

and whensoregulated, requires nofurthercare and attention.

And. a still further object is the production of adevice embracing said characteristics equally and 'as effectively suitable for automatically con trolling thefiow of Water-from lawn sprinklers;- for exampla of the ordinaryresidencelawn type,

as well as those employed in sprinkling golf courses, country club grounds, cemetery, and large'estate lawns regardless of type or capacity in use, and for irrigating systems of various types and other watering systems irrespective of purpose and use.

Iattain these o'bjects by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which? Figure 1 isatop. plan view with thecover broken away tojshow the interior ofthe case or housing structure. Figure '2 is avertical section'on line 2'2 "of FigurelQand f f f Figure 3-is a section on line 33 of Figure}! Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, thus the" numeral I'll indicates a tank housing the operat 1 ing mechanism comprisingthe device, a water tight lid or cover 'll enclosing the saineby means of'screws I! or the likeyadaptable to saidpurpose.

"A lug I3 is provided within the tank. To it; one end of a float support arml4 'is pivota llyt securedas-at I5; The other end supports a cork or similar float; It' is thereto att'achedby means- Washers I9 are interposed between the float and'the arm. 1h number, these may be increased or decreased at will by. simply removing the on the valve stemf23 adjacent thumb-nut re "dily serves thepurpose hereinafter described.

The bolt may alsoybe secured "to the arm in the v opposite direction 'frointha't shown Figure 2,

app ar under the arm. This method of att'ach ment admits of alfurther means of adjustment.

A screw is pivoted throughits slotted-"head 2| anda pin 22tothearm l lrelati-vely near the pended fromthe thereby, is a valve stem 23 carrying a hollow sliding valve 24'having ports 25 through the Walls (if'the' valve;

and'inwhi'chposition the washers: andlfloat would 1 A rubber'or composition'washer t'ois provided h er tha upon closure ofj'the valve followin'g entrance threofdnto a cylindrical valve seat 21 provided,

said washe r 26 will seal the end or said seat 21,9

3 The-"valve stem 23;is-s'uspended within a chamber 28 having a water supply intakemearisjzil through itswallQ The valve; proper controls the outlet "offthe-chamber. I W 'ap'ture30 provi e in" the bottom 1 or the withi'n a' cage 32 affixed to th'e' bottom'of'the tank adjacent the aperture '30. "l {The 'fcag'e "321 is, pro

vided with a ertures-3a td prmit water tb-f pass through so astofldatthe ball nd to emptyin tank-at the required time,

havin'gia fio at-235 suspended about its uppenfree to verucai part tion 31 "within the tank by a i1$1 l 1s ze ito, permit h ve t a.1 .mov

inent oithejfloatjwithout bindingthe stem 34'. Thecore, project's slightly above the float isoasa 'to, ,-strike antadjustmentflnut ,4lprovided upon the uppenendof the stem 34: 7

' .A relatively small'tube 4-2 is provided to convey, Qwateriroma connection with the intake 29 to v the interior' of the tank." -A needle valve 434s provided to controlathe flow of water through The cyliridrical valve seat"2'l-projects outwardly d .W'th .afhollow core in and downwardly from the chamber'28' and is threaded; ip'r connection with an elbow pipe fittin'g '44 to which F'riiay be attachedthe .wlatering system, bethat sprinkler, irrigation, or' otherwise (not shown), in line with the object, purpose and use of the device.

Another relatively small tube 45 having a com trolling needle valve 46 therein disposed, is provided to convey water from a connection with the elbow 44 to the interior of the tank.

A packing nut 41 is provided about the valve stem 23 to confine the water to the chamber 28.

In operation, the tank is conveniently placed with its movable exponents in the position shown supply by means of the intake 29. Needle valve 43 is set so that the desired length of time is permitted to elapse for the tank to become sulficiently full of water as to raise the float l6 which in turn lifts the valve stem 23 and thereby opening the ports 25 so as to permit water topass from the intake 29 through the chamber 28, cylinder 2'! and elbow M. to the watering system.

The lapse of time required to fill the tank sufii ciently to start and continue raising the float I6 determines the time .for automatically controlling the start and shut off .periodof the watering system. Thismay be regulated at will by merely adjusting the needle valve 43 and the float 16 to accomplish the results desired.

Waterentering the elbow '44 is under pressure so that a portion-thereofpasses through the tube 45 to the interior of the tank. The additional waterthussupplied to the tank lifts the float 35 which in'fturn lifts theball '3! from the aperture 38. Needle valve 46 controls the 'fiow of water from the source of supply. It may be regulated and adjusted at will, the elapsed'time between the lifting of the float l 6 and-float-35 determining the extent of time for the watering system, sprinkler, or otherwise as the-casemay be,'to operate.

The ball 3! is held upon the aperture 30 -.by the weight'of water,-but when lifted by the float 35, it issufliciently buoyant to remain off the apertureuntil sufiicientwater has 'drained from the tank so as to permit the float Hi to vfalliand close the valve ports 25. .At this'time, a new cycle of operation begins.

It is a comparatively easy matter toadjust the needle valves and float l6. Automatic starting and stopping'of the mechanism is thus readily acomplished for any desireddefinite periods of time, and, without further care orattention.

Obviously, .the device-may readily be produced in dififerent sizes and :from'materials easily obtainable in the open .market andat ino greatcost.

I am aware that slight rmodificationsmayrfrom time to time be made inthe details-of structure illustrated without departing, however, from the scope of the present invention, and :-as "defined in theclaims which are appended hereto. .Hence, -I do not limit .mypresent invention to the exact description or embodimentofrstructure from that herein disclosed, but what Ido .claim is:

1. Anautomaticspririkler control comprisinga chamber having an intake adapted to be connected with a source of water supply'under pressureyand an outlet 'adaptedt'o be connected with a water distribution line, a normally closed valve for controlling said outletya tank having a discharge cpening, aunormally closed valve-controh ling said discharge opening, float actuated devices for operating-saidvalves, by+pass means operable while the first named'valve is'closed for conducting water at a predetermined rate of flow into said tank whereby to operate one of the 'float actuated'i'devices to open "and so maintain the first named valve when .the water in the tank reaches" and :remains .at or above :a predetermined level, and another by -pass means operable while the first named valve is open, for introducing water at a predetermined rate of flow into said tank whereby to operate the other float actuated device for opening-the second named valve and maintaining it open until a predetermined amount of water in said tank passes out of the discharge opening.

2. An automatic sprinkler control comprising a chamber having an intake adapted to be connected with a source of supply of water under pressure, and an outlet adapted to be connected with a water distribution line, a normally closed valve for controlling said outlet, a tank having a dis'charge opening, a normally closed valve controlling said discharge opening, float actuated devices for operating said valves, by-pass means operable whilethe first named valve is closed for conducting water at a predetermined rate of flow into said tank whereby to operate one of the float l actuated devices to open and so maintain'the'first named valve when the water in the tank reaches and remains at or above a predetermined level, and another by-pass means operable while the first named valve is op'en,'for introducing water at a predetermined rate of flow into said tank whereby to operate the other floatactuated clevice for opening the second named valve and maintaining it open until a predetermined amount of water in said tank passes out of the discharge opening, each of said by-pass means including a valve operable for controlling the rate of flow of water by-passing'to said tank.

3. In an automatic sprinkler control, a chamber having an'intake adapted to be connected with 1* a source of supply of water under pressureand an outlet adapted tobe connected with a water distributionline, a normally closed valve controlling said outlet, atankfassociated with'said chamber and having a discharge opening, byepass devices associated with said chamber and tank for conducting water atpredetermined rates of flow into said tank whileithe outlet control-valve is opened as well'as closed, a float actuated-device in said tank for controlling said first named valve, a valve normally closing said discharge opening, and a float actuated device in said tank "for operating the last named valve, including a rod connected with the last named valve,.a float chamber in said tank, a float movable vertically in said chamber, andhaving an opening through which said rod extends and a stop member on the upper end of said-rod whereby the'rod is lifted whensaid float uses.

'4. An automatic sprinkler-control, comprising a chamber'having an intake and an outlet respectively adapted for connection with a source of supply of water under pressure and a water distribution line, a valve normally closing said outlet, a tank associated with said chamber and having a discharge opening, a valve normally closing said opening, a by-pass asociated with said chamber and tank for conducting water to the tank when the outletcontrol valve is closed, a valve insaid by-pass for controlling the rate of flow therein, a second-by-pass associated with said chamber for conducting water to said tank while the outlet control valve is open, a valve in the second bypassforcontrolling the rate of flow therein, and independent float actuated devices at difierent levels in said tank for operating the-valves which control said outlet and said discharge opening.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,202, 19. May 28, 19m.

I FRANK Y. DONALDYSON.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, sec" 0nd column, line 1, after the word "desired" insert "change"; page 2,

first column, line 10, after "shown" insert in Figure 2. It is connected with the water--; and that the said Letters Patent shouldbe read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record'of the case in the Patent Office. t

Signed and sealed this 23rd day of July, A. D. 19140.

7 Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

